


The Long Road

by Shattered_Valor



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bittersweet, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 23:50:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7410076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shattered_Valor/pseuds/Shattered_Valor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This one-shot explores an AU aftermath of "Fall," otherwise known as the "Episode that Angered and Satisfied the FNDM at the same time."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Long Road

**Author's Note:**

> AU-setting, Post RWBY VOL. 3 EP. 6 "Fall;" Altered Backgrounds.
> 
> This one-shot explores a what-if situation following the events of "Fall." Features Serious!Ruby, Regretful!Mercury, and others. This story assumes that Ozpin convinced Ironwood to let him detain Yang in a setting familiar to her; also, the officials overseeing the tournament have delayed the events for a few days so the people of Remnant have time to calm down. In this depiction, a person's aura shield will flicker to signal a low aura level. It dissipates with a white light, as seen in the episode, when a person no longer has any aura to protect them.
> 
> Pairing: Pre-established Quicksilver, Poisonous Rose, Sonic Speed, A Walk Among Roses (Ruby Rose, Mercury's fighting style...). The first three names are what you can find elsewhere on the net; last name is what I made up.
> 
> Warnings: Violence

**The Long Road**

**Team RWBY Dorm**

"They can't do this; it's been _three_ days!" Ruby paced around the dorm.

She felt the worried gazes of her two friends at her back. The young teen grumbled beneath her breath as she collapsed onto her desk chair. _Yang knows better. I know how she fights; I've seen her more than anyone else here._ Ruby's eyes flicked around the room aimlessly as thoughts and emotions ran wild within her. _She knows when to quit, save for when her hair is involved. Yang reacts to her environment with reason, I know it._

The red-cloaked girl rested her gaze on the door. "I know her."

"Ruby?" Weiss' voice drifted into the air, laced with genuine concern.

"Guys," Ruby looked to her team, "the guards are wrong. They _have_ to be."

Blake's eyes reflected sadness. "Everyone saw what happened, Ruby."

"It can't be that simple!" The younger girl argued. "I know Yang better than anyone."

"Maybe not this time, Ruby." Weiss responded quietly.

Nodding, Blake added with pain in her eyes. "It hurts to realize the people you're closest to turn out to be something else. We should probably get some rest and talk about it tomorrow; hopefully, they'll let us see Yang then."

Ruby crossed her arms and glared at the door.

* * *

**Amity Coliseum, Infirmary**

Hobbling out of the room, Mercury glared at his useless leg. _Everything went according to plan..._ _The plan that Cinder told me so little about, at least._ The silver-haired young man wordlessly made his way down the hallway towards Emerald. _However, the next sacrifice might call for more._ He looked his partner-in-crime over, noting her focus on her scroll. _How much are we willing to lose?_ Mercury adjusted his grip on his crutches and leaned towards the mint-haired teen.

"What's up, Em?"

The crimson-eyed girl briefly examined him. "I'm texting Cinder an update on our end. She's still talking to Neo. How long are you stuck with that thing?"

"A day or two, depending on my aura recovery." Mercury leaned away from the teen with a frown. "Hey, I've been thinking a few things over."

"And?"

"Well, how do you feel about Cinder and the plan?" The silver-haired teen pointedly avoided the girl's gaze.

Emerald breathed out in exasperation, "Merc. You know how I feel about all this; I'm with her until the end."

"No matter what?"

"Without a doubt in my mind."

Mercury hummed thoughtfully as the two walked towards the airships back to Beacon. "You're willing to do _whatever_ Cinder asks of you? Or whatever she _expects_ of you, even if she _doesn't_ let you _know_ what it is?"

"Cinder knows what she's doing," Emerald replied without pause. "I trust her judgment."

The silver-haired young man furrowed his brows and hobbled alongside his acquaintance in silence towards the coliseum's air docks.

* * *

**Beacon Academy, Team RWBY Dorm; Evening**

Quietly hopping out of her bunk, Ruby looked to her teammates to make sure they remained sound asleep. The young teen nodded to herself and moved towards her belongings. She put on her combat attire before she haphazardly threw some of her clothes into a backpack. _We'll need as much as we can have on hand._ Once her backpack felt full, Ruby moved onto her sister's belongings. She took more care into packing clothes and other items into the second backpack.

"This should be enough." The silver-eyed girl looked back at her friends once again.

She hefted her bag onto her back and balanced Yang's bag in her right arm as she approached Weiss. The heiress rested peacefully on her side, her left hand placed underneath her head. Ruby knelt beside the white-haired heiress' bed. She gently brushed aside a lock of hair from the sleeping girl's face. A fond smile found its way onto Ruby's features as she stood up. _Take good care of yourself, Weiss. I hope one day, we'll see each other again. I hope you'll forgive Yang and me. I hope you'll still consider us friends then._

Ruby turned and walked over Blake's bedside. She smiled at the sight of a book resting on the Faunus' chest. _She fell asleep reading again._ The red-cloaked girl carefully removed the book from her friend, placed a bookmark between the opened pages, and set it on the bedside table. Ruby reached for the older girl's covers and pulled it over Blake's shoulders. The sleeping brunette shifted around, causing Ruby to hesitate. _If she wakes up...I can't keep going._ To Ruby's relief, Blake remained asleep. _Thank goodness._ Ruby rolled her shoulders back and smiled down at her friend once again. _You're never alone, Blake. Please stay safe. In the future, I hope you'll forgive us and still think of us as friends._

The young leader walked over to the door and spared one last glance at her teammates. "I'm sorry."

* * *

**Outside the Exchange Student Dorm Building**

Mercury hobbled out of the building with a stern expression. _I can't keep going on like this. She expects too much; I can't keep jumping through the hoops she sets up._ He made his way around the courtyard. Limping over to a stone bench, the young man plopped down with a sigh. _Cinder's plan isn't worth dying for, sticking around Em isn't worth her false friendship, and sitting around on an injured leg during a Grimm attack won't do me any good._ The young man set his crutches in his lap and rested his eyes. _I've…I've lost something more important to me than my leg._

 _What can I do, though?_ He tapped his fingers along the stone bench. _Even if I go to Ozpin and admit everything, Cinder will have my head. We can't stop what's started now._ Mercury huffed and opened his eyes to stare up at the broken moon above. _My aura will heal my leg soon, but..._ _If I run, I doubt I'll get far._ **Cl-click-clack, cl-click-clack.** The hairs on the back of Mercury's neck stood up. _Here comes the fire witch._

"Brooding, are you?" Cinder wondered lowly as she stepped in front of the wounded teen.

"Not really my style, you know that." Mercury responded smoothly. "I needed to get out of the room."

The fiery witch raised a thin eyebrow at the young man. "Is that so?"

"Yep." The young man leaned back in his seat and edged away from the woman.

Pulling her hands out from behind her back, Cinder held a backpack up to the teen. An eerie glow overtook her eyes as she threw it onto him. _Oh...oh no..._ Mercury gazed up at her with a sorrowful plea in his eyes. _Don't...don't hurt me!_ Any words he wished to say remained lodged in his throat.

"I couldn't help but notice that you packed some things away." The fiery woman crossed her arms. "Tell me you aren't planning on leaving."

Mercury gulped audibly as he grasped onto the backpack in his lap. "I wasn't going to leave, ma'am."

Cinder laughed briefly, " _Wonderful._ Now, tell me the truth."

* * *

**Classroom 275**

Seated against a wall, Yang held her hands over her eyes and exhaled. _I_ saw _him attack. I swear I did._ She dropped her arms into her lap and gazed at the ceiling. _He almost kicked me in the face…_ Her mind drifted back to what she saw on the coliseum screen. _But, the video shows that I broke his leg while he walked towards the exit…_

Yang felt her stomach drop as she recalled her teammates' faces. _Blake…she must hate me now… I lashed out without reason._ _The look in Weiss' eyes…I don't think she trusts me anymore._ The blonde held her arms close, an unnerving chill passed through her. _Ruby, oh my baby sister… Her expression…I can't…_ Yang curled in on herself and felt tears prickle her eyes. _I'm dangerous, I attacked without reason!_

**Thud. Thud.**

Raising her head, the brawler gazed at the door. She heard the faint sounds of people shouting. **Thud!** Shakily, the teen stood up and ascended the stairs. _What's going on?_ Yang spared a glance at her bare wrists and shivered. _I could fight barehanded, but I might seriously hurt someone again. Is it worth the risk?_

A loud gunshot pierced through the air and everything fell into silence.

* * *

**Team JNPR Dorm**

Pyrrha stared at the book hanging limply from her hands. _A man with two souls…_ Emerald eyes narrowed at the print within, and she tossed the book onto her desk. She ran a hand through her brilliant red locks. Anxiety overflowed from within her heart; the feeling uncommon, but far from foreign. _The people of Remnant need a hero, but I don't want to lose myself._

The Spartan's gaze flicked over the sleeping figures of her teammates. _At the same time, I don't want to lose them._ Pyrrha glanced at the book on her desk. _It's only fiction; it can't apply to reality, can it?_ Her heart fearfully pounded against her chest as she recalled the tale of The Four Seasons. _Then again, the maidens turned out to be real…_

Pyrrha walked over to the window and rested her head against the windowsill. _Do I really want to risk losing my mind? What if the procedure goes wrong and I die? The power will only pass on to someone else in the world…_

* * *

**Outside Classroom 275**

Shoving aside the unconscious guard, the red-cloaked girl put away her scythe. Silver eyes sadly examined the pile of knocked out guards. _Sorry, but my sister is innocent. I'll help prove it to the world._ Pulling out a pair of yellow bracelets from the guard captain's belt, Ruby approached the classroom door. The young teen forced the door open, only to unceremoniously run into her sister. **Thunk.** Quickly hopping back onto her feet, Ruby offered Yang a hand with a smile. The blonde silently stared up at her in response. _Doesn't she want to leave?_ Lowering her hand, Ruby searched her sister's gaze for any clues. _What's wrong? Why does she look…scared?_

"Yang?" Ruby knelt down beside her sister; the role-reversal between them thoroughly unsettled the younger girl.

Yang curled her hands into fists before she reopened them and held her palms up to her sister. "I'm _dangerous_ , Ruby. I…I don't want to hurt you."

Without missing a beat, the red-cloaked girl clasped both of her hands on top of Yang's. "This isn't like you, Yang. I know you better than the people out there. You don't attack without a good reason."

"What if this time is different, Ruby?" Lilac eyes bore into searching silver orbs. "I acted without real reason…"

Ruby crossed her arms, "Really? Then, why did you look so confused after you broke Mercury's leg? You said: 'That's what you get' right as he went down."

With an exasperated groan, Yang lied on her back. "I don't know! I… _Something's_ wrong with me, Rubes. I'm afraid to find out what."

"Let me help you figure out what's going on then, Sis!" The red-cloaked girl urged, uncrossing her arms. "Let's escape Beacon; we'll leave the city and find someone who can help you."

The blonde brawler scoffed, turning her face away from her sister. "What good will that do for us if you're wrong?"

"You're giving up without a fight?"

" _Fighting_ is what got me in trouble!"

Ruby rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Let's prove those people wrong, Yang! Come on, I didn't beat up a bunch of guards just to hear you give up."

"Don't you remember what Weiss said? 'The innocent never run,' and if I go with you and run away; that will only make me look guilty." Yang sat up, hesitantly meeting the younger teen's fierce gaze.

The red-cloaked girl crossed her arms. "Sometimes sitting around and letting the world walk over you doesn't work, Yang. Sometimes the innocent are forced to prove their innocence."

"Sis, I can't just-"

"There's no Ruby Rose without Yang Xiao Long. If you don't fight for your innocence and your freedom, then I won't fight for the people who put you away. I refuse to fight for Remnant when it won't recognize when it's been fooled."

"Yeah? Well, what if _I_ was the one who was fooled?!"

Ruby smirked knowingly at her sister. "And if _you_ were _fooled_ by someone, what? What would happen?"

Yang stared up at her sister with a calculating gaze. Ruby stared back at her. Minutes passed, feeling too much like hours. Silent words passed between the sisters, in ways that only siblings could understand. A simple gaze to anyone else is worth a thousand words between family. Finally, after giving her sister a hesitant nod, the blonde stood up. With a wide smile, Ruby stepped back to allow Yang some space to stretch out. The blonde took a few deep breaths and rolled her shoulders back.

"Alright, Rubes. Let's do it your way."

* * *

**Clock Tower Elevator**

General James Ironwood heaved a sigh as he waited to reach Ozpin's office. _This week's events were quite...sudden._ He tugged at his right sleeve; the telltale signs of his arm about to act up revealing themselves. _Every time I'm in one my thinking moods..._ The general shook his arm off in an attempt to rid himself of the jittery feeling that crept up on him. Hoping to distract himself, James glanced at his scroll for any updates from his men. **Ping!**

Blinking, the man swiftly raised the scroll to his ear.

The voice on the other end rasped desperately, but sounded like a banshee screech in the general's ears. _[The prisoner escaped! Someone in a red cloak knocked out her guards and-]_

"Alert all available squads near the Air Docks! Send two bullheads in the air and apprehend them!" James slammed his hand against the wall just as he reached Ozpin's office.

* * *

**Somewhere on Campus**

As the two sisters ran, Ruby kept scanning their surroundings. Despite the few years of practice she had with the skill, the young girl managed to train her reaction time to match her semblance-induced super speed. If she saw something out of place that could harm her and her sister, then she could react to it at speeds that would disorient her opponent. Then, she would be able to run back to her sister's side without missing a beat. _Yang might not be up to fighting just yet._ Looking over at her big sister, the young Rose sent a smile. The older girl responded with a grimace; Ruby could only hope that she really tried to grin.

"So, _how_ exactly are we escaping?" Yang slowed down, coming to a stop beside a bench.

Ruby casually tossed her sister's bracelets into the blonde's arms. "We're hijacking a bullhead."

"Neither of us knows how to pilot one of those things, Rubes." Yang regarded her bracelets with scorn and fear.

Noting the action with a resigned nod, Ruby took the bracelets away from her sister. "I'm a fast learner."

Nodding, the blonde brawler gazed toward the Air Docks. The younger teen followed her gaze. In the corner of her eye, Ruby noted the Memorial Statue. _Once we reach that, we're almost halfway to our goal. We cannot turn back._ Just as she gestured for Yang to follow her, the young teen saw a sudden flash of fire burst out from nowhere. **Fwoom! Th-thud!** A familiar young man in a grey outfit skidded across the ground; he clutched his broken right leg tightly. _Was Mercury in on the plan? Did he throw the fight to get my sister in trouble?_

* * *

Landing on his left side, Mercury groaned. _How did she find out?_ Taking a deep breath, the young man clawed at the stone tile below him. He willed the pain away and clambered away from Cinder. _I hid my bag outside of the room, out of her sight, away from Emerald's prying_ eyes... Groaning, the silver-haired teen rested his forehead against the tile and sighed. _If I die, please let it be quick. Please, please, let it be as quick as I used to be._

Mercury lifted his head up to see his former employer. Menacingly, Cinder stalked out of the shadows. Fire engulfed both of her arms as a sinister gleam entered her eyes. _Like an unholy angel of death, the fire witch descends upon her victim..._ A choked sob passed the young man's lips as he braced himself for the final blow. The smell of something burning drifted into his nostrils as Cinder flared the flames on her arms. **Fwoom!**

 **Woosh!** Suddenly, the burnt smell shifted into a more pleasant smell. _V-vanilla? A-and...lavender?_ A familiar shade of red fluttered around him, almost enveloping him into a warm embrace. Mercury felt a pair of small, but strong arms holding him tightly; their presence overtook the ache in his broken leg. In the air around him and his rescuer, a multitude of rose petals swirled around them. He turned his head around. Dark grey eyes clashed with stunning silver.

A breathless sigh of relief left the young man's lips, "Ruby."

* * *

**Team JNPR Dorm**

Stifling a yawn, Pyrrha stepped away from the window. _I'd best get some rest before tomorrow's set of duels._ She stretched her arms over her head and spared a glance out the window. Movement from outside caught her attention. A group of four Atlesian soldiers ran up the path outside the dorm building. Another squad ran down a path opposite of the dorm building. The two squads converged on the Main Avenue, headed towards the Air Docks.

The champion blinked away the weariness from her eyes. _I shouldn't get involved but..._ Pyrrha spared another glance at the book on her desk. _If this has to do anything with what Ozpin and the Brotherhood told me, I can stand to gain something from getting involved. I'll gain an understanding of the situation even better if I know what or who exactly poses a threat to the kingdoms._ The Mistralan weighed the options running in her head. _This notion goes against my better judgment...but so does partaking in the Aura transfer..._

With a resolute nod and a quick written note for her teammates, Pyrrha grabbed Miló and Akoúo̱ before leaving the dorm.

* * *

**Clock Tower**

Sending his colleagues a look, the general quickly regained his composure. He ignored Glynda's questions, shrugged off Qrow's remarks, and disregarded Ozpin's gaze. James pressed the ground floor button on the elevator and crossed his arms behind his back. _We should have held her in one of our bullheads._ **Whirr...** Balling his right hand up into a fist, James stubbornly ignored his arm's warning. _Student or not, we should've detained her properly._

 **Ping!** Once again, the general brought his scroll up to his ear, "Report."

* * *

**Memorial Statue**

Ruby regarded the young man in her arms with softness in her eyes. Mercury met her gaze with a similar look of fondness. In a flash, the red-cloaked girl's eyes hardened and she lowered the silver-haired teen onto the ground. He weakly latched onto the ends of her cloak: a silent plea for her to stand down. Shrugging off his hand, Ruby whipped around to face his attacker.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Yang uncharacteristically shy away from the fight. _I expected her to do that, but that doesn't make the action less disheartening._ "Yang, I need you to carry Mercury away from here."

"Ruby, don't do this." The silver-haired teen pleaded.

The blonde's gaze flicked from Ruby to the injured teen. "What if I hurt him just by carrying him?"

 **Fwoom!** Not one to be ignored, the woman in the crimson dress prepared to launch more fireballs at the trio. The darkness of the night and the sweep of her hair kept the woman's face out of view. She kept the covered half of her face in sight, even with the other factors aiding her, as she sauntered around the stone path. _Of course, the mystery lady leaves nothing to chance._ **Fwoom!**

Rolling out of the way of a spear of fire, Ruby clenched her teeth. "You'll be hurting _yourself and_ _him_ if you do _nothing_ , Yang! Get a move on!"

"Right," The brawler ran at the downed Mercury, scooped him up into her arms, and rushed to a safe distance away.

"Now it's just you and me, lady." Ruby taunted, shifting her grip on Crescent Rose.

At this point, the pyromancer revealed her eyes. Flashing the younger girl a smirk, the woman's amber eyes flashed with an orange hue. She skillfully danced around the stone path, occasionally waving her arms up. **Fwoom! Fwoom! Fwoosh!** Ruby ducked and dodged as she saw fit, narrowly avoiding the flames each time. _Why is she circling me?_

An eerily familiar, high-pitched screeching sound pierced Ruby's ears. Looking down, the red-cloaked girl blanched at the sight of an eye-shaped glyph. Its center pulsed, changing colors briefly from dark orange to light orange. The pulses' pace increased. Ruby jumped out of the way right before the pulsing eye glyph let loose a final, ear-piercing shriek. A powerful ray of light burst up from where the glyph used to be; the ray's heat washing over Ruby's back. She shuddered at the thought of getting caught in the blast.

Multiple screeches assaulted her ears, forcing Ruby to drop her scythe. She covered her ears and focused on the ground. _One, two…_ The red-cloaked girl staggered as she spun around. _Three, four…_ Her eyes landed on a pair of glass slippers. _Five, six…_ All at once, the eye glyphs began pulsing fast. _Time to go!_ Forcing her arms down, Ruby ran for her scythe and sped out of the circle of glyphs.

Right as she launched herself into the air, six pillars of scorching hot energy burst into the night air.

* * *

**Team RWBY Dorm**

**Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!** Groaning, Weiss groggily sat up in bed. At the other side of the room, she noticed Blake moving around in the dark. **Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!** The heiress rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes and reached out for her scroll. She unlocked the device and took a long look at what caused the disturbance.

With a sharp intake of air, the white-haired girl's eyes widened.

In the darkness, Blake's amber eyes blinked in her direction, "Weiss?"

 **Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!** "Blake, take a look at your scroll and get dressed."

Without another word, the heiress whipped her covers off and hurried to her dresser.

* * *

**Near the Memorial Statue**

Upon hearing the shrieks in the distance, Pyrrha shifted Miló into its xiphos form and raised Akoúo̱ up before charging onto the scene. A familiar red and black object hurtled towards her. Without hesitation, the champion deflected the object with her shield. **CLANG!** The object skidded along the stone path, coming to a stop by one of the Atlesian soldier's feet.

Pyrrha's eyes threatened to bug out of her skull once she recognized the object. "Crescent Rose is here? That means…"

She scanned her surroundings, eyes landing on a motionless, red-cloaked figure. Wispy trails of smoke rose from the figure. _No…it can't be… Ruby's far too young to…_ Ignoring the soldiers at her back, Pyrrha rushed over to the figure and turned her over. A young face usually bearing a warm, friendly façade now contorted in pain. Pain-filled silver eyes met the champion's worried pair of emerald. A brief flicker of white emitted from the wounded girl's body. _Her aura's close to breaking…_

"Talk about firepower…" Ruby blearily stared up at the champion. "W-when...did you get here?"

Pyrrha sheathed her weapons and scooped the younger girl into her arms. "I arrived a minute ago. Who did this to you?"

Furrowing her brow, the red-cloaked girl turned her head away from Pyrrha. "She...fire lady..."

"'Fire lady?'" The champion parroted as she carried the younger girl to the sidelines. _Does she mean Yang? Her semblance_ does _tend to flare..._ "Did your sis-"

Ruby frowned up at her, "No! Yang won't even _fight_ now; she refuses. The fire lady-"

 **Fwoom!** A blast of fire effectively cut the young teen off and sent her flying out of Pyrrha's arms with a cry. Jagged white lines appeared around Ruby's body as she skidded across the ground. **Thhiiss-pk!** Pyrrha blanched at the sound, the fizzle that signaled a depleted aura. Her eyes snapped to where she believed the fireball originated from, only to see another ball of fire hurtling at her. The Mistralan activated her semblance and called her weapons to her hands once again. The crimson-dressed woman simply waved her arms; the action sent two fireballs toward the soldiers gathered there.

"This ends _now_!" Falling into a battle stance, Pyrrha began her approach. _No one else must get hurt!_

* * *

Yang felt the blood drain from her face as she watched the fire witch blast her sister out of Pyrrha's arms. _Not my baby sister, not Ruby!_ The blonde sent a quick glance at Mercury, who looked as pale as Yang did, before she took off. _No, no, no, no, no..._ Uncaring of the pain, Yang slid across the stone onto her knees once she got close enough to Ruby. Yang gathered her sister into her arms and held her close. _Don't leave...don't die... I've had enough people leave my life already._ The blonde brushed Ruby's hair away from her face.

"R-Ruby?" The brawler's voice wavered. "Sis, I've got you."

Despite the younger girl's stillness, her face remained contorted in pain.

The blonde brawler tightened her grip, "W-what happened to escaping together, huh?!"

Ruby remained still; she remained _silent_.

" _Please_ , open your eyes." Yang begged pitifully, hand placed on Ruby's neck to find a pulse. _Why can't I feel her heartbeat? Her aura's just depleted...that's all..._

A sob tore through the blonde's throat. Her hand fell limply to her side as she examined the still figure in her arms. _She's so still...all her energy is just..._ Yang rocked back and forth, tears streaming freely down her face. _It's all my fault!_ _My sister is dead, she's dead because of me!_ She turned her teary gaze up into the night sky. _If only I didn't lash out against Mercury... Ruby wouldn't have broken me out of my prison; she'd still be okay..._ Yang's broken sobs filled the air, mixing with the sounds of the battle that raged on a few feet away.

"Don't leave me too..."

* * *

Mercury stared at the scene in shocked silence. _No, not Ruby! Please, not her; don't let her die for this, for Cinder!_ He grunted in effort as he slowly stood up. The silver-haired teen steadied himself using a nearby pillar. _It's...it's my fault... Oh, God, it's my fault. She got hurt because of me._ Taking a deep breath, Mercury hobbled towards the two sisters. _Please, don't let her die._ He stumbled every few steps, but Mercury continued to trudge on. The young man collapsed when he reached the two. Willing away the pain once more, Mercury crawled over to Yang's side.

As he pulled himself into a sitting position, Yang sent him a mournful look, "S-she's..."

"Don't," The young man set a hand on Yang's elbow. "I...I am _so_ sorry."

Yang focused on her motionless sister once again.

"Yang, look at me."

Shaking her head, the brawler shut her eyes.

"Please," Mercury exhaled sharply, "just _listen_ to me, then."

"...Okay," Yang's voice quivered, her tears far from running dry.

"All this...this pain..." The silver-haired teen gulped. "The hurt you and Ruby are going through right now... It's-"

"RUBY! YANG!"

* * *

Rushing over to the trio, Weiss knelt beside Ruby to assess the situation. In the corner of her eye, she saw Blake keeping an eye on the battle behind them. _Her aura gauge fell to zero while we ran here..._ Coaxing the still girl away from Yang, Weiss set Ruby gently on the ground _._ Shaky hands pressed gently against the red-cloaked girl's neck. _Please, let me find something._

"Y-you dunce..." Weiss berated her motionless leader. "A-are you...are you so _irresponsible_ to...to die so _young_? Y-you're lucky you have me to keep you on track."

The heiress ignored the pained stares she received from the others gathered around. _I simply need something to distract the others...and myself. Perhaps, Ruby will hear me scolding her again._ Weiss internally scoffed but felt somewhat hopeful. _I...I don't want to lose my friend; not here, not like this, not in any way, or at any time._ Taking a deep breath, the white-haired girl shook her head.

"H-honestly, you...you can't k-keep running off...w-without telling the rest of your team!" Weiss mentally cringed at the sound of her shaky voice. "We're supposed to be 'Team RWBY.' We're your f-friends..."

"Weiss..." Blake reached out to touch the heiress' shoulder.

Weiss brushed her off and looked meaningfully at Yang. "We're in this mess together, no matter what."

"Right," The blonde softly agreed, a broken yet grateful smile gracing her features.

Nodding, the heiress began to move her hand away from Ruby's carotid artery only to feel a faint beat. Mist blue eyes widened as the white-haired teen readjusted her hand. **Ba-dum, pause. Ba-dum, pause.** A gasp left Weiss' lips as she looked up at the others. Blake quirked up an eyebrow at her while Yang gazed at the heiress hopefully; Mercury released an uneasy breath, a question in his eyes.

"I think...I think Ruby will pull through. We _need_ to rush her to the infirmary, though."

Yang sighed in relief, "Thank goodness."

"We'd better move _now_." Blake cut in, the gladness in her eyes betraying her clipped tone.

"Right, I'll..." The words died in Yang's throat, a sad look in her eyes. "I'll help Mercury get there too."

Weiss sent her a look. "It's okay if you take Ruby, she's not made of glass."

"Let her take Mercury if she wants, Weiss. We can't force her to-" A red and gold blur crashed into the cat Faunus, sending her flying into a nearby pillar.

"BLAKE!" Preparing Myrtenaster, the heiress looked to Yang and Mercury. "Stay with Ruby, okay? I'll come right back."

Yang's cry echoed throughout the area, "DON'T!"

* * *

**Outside the Clock Tower**

Scowling, General Ironwood marched down the stone path. _This is absurd; don't these kids realize how much trouble Remnant is in right now?_ He reached into his coat and removed a rectangular box from an inner pocket. Rolling his shoulders back, the general brought out his scroll with his free hand. Typing in a four-digit code, the man watched his scroll screen light up with multiple audio pattern analyzer windows. He tapped on one of the windows and brought the scroll to his mouth.

"This is General Ironwood to all Atlesian units within Vale. I am ordering for the arrest of Yang Xiao Long; she is to be detained and relocated to Airship Spearhead as soon as possible. Anyone seen aiding her is also subject to arrest. Lethal force is unauthorized, I want that girl locked away, not six feet under."

* * *

**Memorial Statue**

Wincing, Pyrrha gripped her left shoulder. _I may have overestimated my ability to deal with this woman._ She sighed, stood up, and took a good look at her surroundings. _Strange. Why did I land on something soft?_ Pyrrha looked at the ground behind her to see Blake dazedly blinking up at the sky. The champion let out a soft "Oh!" and quickly moved to help the other girl up.

"I'm sorry. Are you alright, Blake?"

"Just peachy." The brunette deadpanned, dusting off her clothes. "Are you?"

Pyrrha sent a cautious look at the fire witch, who currently focused on a certain white-haired heiress. **Fwoosh!** "I've dealt with worse."

With a nod, Blake prepared Gambol Shroud and stood beside the redhead. "Let's not keep Weiss waiting."

"Agreed." Raising her shield, Pyrrha led the charge towards the crimson-clad pyromancer.

Overhead, the champion noticed Blake's sickle swinging towards their opponent. Pyrrha shifted Miló into its javelin form before she launched it towards the fire witch. _If I can distract her, at least one of our attacks will hit._ Up ahead, Weiss stabbed the ground and sent a wall of ice at the woman. With an orange flash in her eyes, the fire witch agilely dodged the attack and narrowly leaned away from the javelin thrown at her. A sweep of the woman's hand easily deflected Blake's sickle. Pyrrha called Miló back to her hand and rushed to Weiss' side with Blake not too far behind.

"What do we do?" Weiss looked to Pyrrha, "You've fought her longer than we have."

"Perhaps by a few minutes, but I'm as lost as you are."

"If we keep fighting, we're only going to end up as hurt as Ruby is now." Flicking her eyes towards the trio on the sidelines, Blake furrowed her brow in concern. "We should contact the professors or General Ironwood. We're out of our league here."

 **Fwoosh! Fwoom!** A trail of orange in the corner of Pyrrha's eyes reminded her of their enemy's impatience. She tackled her friends down, feeling the heat of the woman's fire spears singe the ends of her hair. **Fwoosh!** Before Pyrrha could react, another fireball slammed into her and the other two. Crying out, the champion stood, stumbled away from her friends, and crumpled to her knees. She briefly noted the brief flicker of light emitted from her body. _My back! I...I don't think I can fight this woman for much longer!_

Looking to her friends, Pyrrha saw Weiss clutching her face and Blake wincing as she moved her right arm. _We need to get out of here!_ The Mistralan staggered to her feet; she took one step only to fall on one knee. _It hurts too much to move..._ Pyrrha watched as Blake stood up and hobbled over to her. The brunette grabbed her by the arm and lifted her up. Weiss got back up and rolled the dust settings on Myrtenaster. With a well-aimed lunge, the white-haired heiress sent a torrent of wind in the pyromancer's direction.

"Let's move while she's distracted." Blake whispered.

Nodding along, Pyrrha tried to not lean so much on her friend as they limped away. A loud cry interrupted them; Weiss barreled into them and the trio landed onto the ground once again. **Thhiiss-pk!** _My aura's spent... It's impossible for someone to be_ this _strong._ The champion attempted to push herself up only to find that her arms refused to respond. Beside her, the ninja and the heiress of Team RWBY stood up. Blake prepared her katana and her cleaver, while Weiss changed Myrtenaster's settings once again.

* * *

**Main Avenue**

"When I reach them..." General Ironwood paused, inhaling deeply. "Something's...burning..."

He narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his box. _Could it be that woman Glynda talked about?_ _The one who Miss Rose fought during the Ball?_ With a flick of the general's arm, the small box in his hand shifted into a hatchet. In the distance, James watched as bright orange flames flared up into the night sky. A wave of fear fell over him. _What if Miss Xiao Long isn't escaping? What if this woman is trying to kidnap her for whatever reason?_ James shook off the thought and quickened his pace towards the Memorial Statue. _If that's the case, then I'd better put Yang on that airship as soon as possible._

"It will be for the good of Remnant _and_ for Yang." He murmured to himself, trying to quell the uneasy feeling fluttering in his stomach.

* * *

**Memorial Statue**

Blinking up at the night sky, bleary silver eyes flitted around. _W-what happened?_ An attempt to move her arms resulted in a jolt of pain running throughout her entire body. _Okay, bad idea..._ Distant sounds of battle filtered through her ears and the faintest scent of smoke drifted in the air. _What's going on...?_ Ignoring the pain, the girl lifted her head to see two of her friends fighting a mystery woman while a third person lied on the ground. _Weiss, Blake, and Pyrrha?_ She lazily looked to the statue that stoically oversaw the battle. _W-why are we outside?_

"...by! R...by...an...me?!" Blinking, the silver-eyed girl looked up into a familiar pair of lilac orbs which brimmed with concern.

 _It's like I'm underwater or something._ "G'mme uh se..."

Suddenly, another familiar face entered her vision, "R...y!"

Dark grey clashed with dazed silver once again. _M-Mercury?_ Silver eyes widened as everything began to flood back into mind. _Yang and I planned to escape; I saw Mercury being used as a punching bag..._ She quickly sat up, her vision abruptly swam out of focus. _The fire lady from Roman's dust heist! Pyrrha!_ Shaking her head, the young teen staggered into a kneeling position. _Weiss and Blake are here too! I have to help my friends!_ Two pairs of arms gripped onto her shoulders, but she shrugged them off.

"Ruby, that's _enough_!" Yang hissed, gripping tightly onto the younger girl's arm once again. "You can't afford to fight anymore!"

" _Don't_ do this to yourself," Mercury urged, his hand hesitantly reaching out for Ruby but kept at a respectful distance.

"But the others!"

The blonde brawler holding her refused, " _No_. No more."

Ruby found herself engulfed in one of Yang's bear hugs. _Oof! That hurts, that hurts more than usual._ Inhaling sharply, the red-cloaked girl weakly patted Yang's shoulder in reassurance. All the while, concerned silver eyes drifted over to the battle that raged on a few feet away. She gently nudged Yang away and shakily stood up. Ruby reached out for her friends in vain, watching helplessly as they got slammed around by the mystery woman. The woman waved her arms up, summoning multiple eye glyphs which surrounded Weiss, Blake, and Pyrrha.

"NO!"

Eight pillars of scorching hot energy burst into the once silent air.

* * *

Watching three other people fall victim to Cinder's power stunned Mercury into silence. He struggled onto his feet and hobbled over to Ruby's side. Setting a gentle hand on her shoulder, the young man suddenly felt her wrap her arms around him. Ruby buried her face into his chest, and Mercury thought he might fall over from the sudden action but stood strong for Ruby's sake. _This is my fault, Ruby. I'm sorry, I am so sorry..._ The silver-haired young man wrapped his arms around the red-cloaked girl.

"I am _so sorry_ , Ruby."

In his peripheral vision, Mercury watched as Yang mutely stepped towards the downed trio. He sent the blonde a warning glance and slightly shook his head. She met his gaze and stopped short, turning her head down. Dark grey eyes looked over to Cinder, who flipped her hair over her shoulder with a smirk. A flare of her eyes served as yet another warning. She placed a finger against her mouth as a sign to remain quiet before a small girl with black pigtails appeared at her side in a flash. Cinder brushed her hair over her face once again as heavy footsteps neared the statue. Mercury felt Ruby shift her head to look up at the newcomer.

General Ironwood gazed at Yang with a hard edge in his eyes, briefly looked over Mercury and Ruby, and finally landed on Cinder and the disguised Neo. _Not that he knows who she is...yet._ Mercury thought darkly, as he held the red-cloaked teen close. As if she heard his thoughts, the disguised girl glanced over at him and the sisters with a smile. She waved playfully at them before looking up at General Ironwood. The Atlesian approached Cinder and Neo with caution, his arm tensed and ready. In the blink of an eye, Neo held a black and white umbrella in her hands.

Ironwood glanced at the scorch marks on the ground and sniffed at the prominent scent of smoke in the air, "Explain yourselves."

Neo's lips formed into a smirk as she opened her umbrella and held it in front of her and Cinder.

"Answer me," The general took a step closer to them, unaware of Cinder's incoming attack.

 **Boom!** Crying out in surprise, the man fell onto his back. He stood back up within seconds with a snarl. In response, Neo lifted her umbrella and smiled smugly at the officer. Cinder no longer stood at her side. Ironwood narrowed his eyes even further once noticed the woman's absence. Neo held her free hand on her hip and twirled her umbrella around in the other, and tapped its end against her shoulder; the action reminded Mercury of Roman. Ironwood tilted his head from side-to-side before he approached the small girl once more.

"Where did your accomplice go?"

The black-haired girl shrugged and tapped an index finger against her lips.

Growling, the general pointed his hatchet at the girl. "Do _not_ test my patience!"

Neo narrowed her eyes at the man and jumped forward. She pushed higher into the air, using the general's head. As he stumbled forward, Neo gracefully twisted around and kicked him in the back of the head. Mercury saw the man bare his teeth as he whipped around with his hatchet. The girl simply smirked and waved for him to attack. Ironwood stood his ground, remaining in place but ready to react. In response, Neo pouted briefly before twirling her umbrella around. She narrowed her eyes and gracefully launched forward once more.

Ironwood swung his hatchet in time to parry the girl's attack, causing her to run past him. Blinking away her green eyes, the girl's irises briefly switched to white. She shook her head, her eyes returned to green again, and twisted around to see the general pointing his hatchet at her once more. She agilely cartwheeled towards the man. The sound of something cracking filled the night air as Neo kicked the general with her cartwheels. Stumbling back, the man used his free hand to punch her away. **Thud!** Neo skidded along the path, her eyes filled with surprise at being bested. Ironwood calmly fixed his suit with one hand while he approached his downed opponent. With a twist of his wrist, a small iron, gun sight and a trigger appeared on the handle of the hatchet. **PA-BANG!** As the smoke cleared, the Atlesian frowned at the disappearance of the young girl.

"Whoa," Mercury jolted and looked down at the red-cloaked teen in his arms. "The General's hatchet is also a shotgun!"

The grey-haired teen raised an eyebrow. "How can you tell from this distance?"

"Well, for one: they aren't _that_ far from us. Two: I know weapons like the back of my hand." Ruby focused on the fight once more, "Oh no!"

Following her gaze, Mercury watched as Neo appeared out of nowhere and casually disarmed the general. She then smacked him in the knee with her umbrella. Before Ironwood could recover, Neo rushed in and used both of her legs to kick him in the chest. **Thud.** The disguised enforcer smirked and stomped on the downed man's chest twice. She then hopped off and twirled her umbrella around. Mercury watched silently as Ironwood hauled himself back on his feet behind the short girl. The Atlesian general pulled off his right hand glove and began rolling up his sleeve. A large piece of metal shone beneath the moonlight.

Glancing down at Ruby, Mercury saw her eyes widen. "Holy cow..."

Mercury simply nodded in agreement before he observed the fight once more.

* * *

 _I can't believe it's come to this._ James ran his fingers over the smooth surface of his right arm. _However, desperate times call for desperate measures._ He rotated his right wrist and glared at the black-and-black themed girl across from him. The girl's eyes briefly flicked to his arm curiously but yet another smirk found its way onto her features. Frowning, James jerked his right arm to the side. The forearm extended and became still; a chainsaw blade sprung out from within the metal arm and covered the edges. **Brum-brum-brum-brrrrrr!**

Advancing towards the girl, Ironwood sighed. "You've made a mistake. Hopefully, you'll be more cooperative once you're in custody."

The black-haired girl pointed her umbrella at him with a challenging look in her green eyes before she opened her umbrella.

* * *

Ruby moved to yell out a warning to the general, as someone appeared beside the black-haired girl out of nowhere. For some reason, her voice died in her throat. _I...I want to warn him; the General's a good man but... He still tried to put Yang under arrest, and he's probably still trying._ Ruby leaned back against Mercury, exhaustion hitting her full force once again. _I don't want to be bitter at him and the rest of the world; at the same time, I don't want to forgive them just yet._ Silver eyes followed the fighters' actions; two battles raging on, one in Ruby's head and another in the open. _Am I really going to let the General be overwhelmed because of what he did to Yang?_ Taking a deep breath, the young teen shakily stood upright on her own. _I'm better than that._

"General Ironwood, look out! The other lady's back!"

The general made no noticeable move to acknowledge the warning, but his eyes switched focus from the umbrella fighter to the fire lady. An odd expression fell on the umbrella fighter's face; she sent Ruby a look and tapped her umbrella against the ground. The red-cloaked leader felt Mercury tighten his grip around her. _It's good to know he still cares, but this also means he recognizes that girl._ Placing a reassuring hand on the silver-haired teen's arm, the weakened girl angled her head back and sent him a small smile. She returned her focus on the battle ahead. Beside the black-haired umbrella fighter, the pyromancer from before stared straight at Ruby. Amber eyes flared once again and flames engulfed the woman's arms. **FWOOOSH!**

"No, not again!" Ruby's vision filled with a familiar shade of yellow before everything became black.

* * *

**Sometime Later...**

Groaning, Ruby shakily lifted herself off the ground. A wave of agony coursed through her body and she collapsed back onto the ground with a cry. Weakly, she turned her head to see the fire lady standing above the unconscious General Ironwood. The woman knelt down beside the man and pressed something against the shiny plate on the Atlesian's head. **Cl-click-clack, cl-click-clack.** Within seconds, the fiery lady stood above Ruby with a hand on her waist.

"It's a shame that you'll be the _only_ _one_ who remembers this night." The woman smirked down at the young teen. "General Ironwood won't remember a thing thanks to his implants. Your little friends aren't likely to remember much after the beating I gave them. Fortunately for you, your suffering will _end_ soon."

Ruby narrowed her eyes up at the woman.

The fiery lady brought a glass sword into her hand. **Shlick.** "I can't get rid of someone as important as Ironwood yet, but at least I can get rid of _pests_ like you."

As the woman walked away, Ruby desperately gasped for air and clutched at her side. Seconds after the woman disappeared from her sight, a blurry figure entered Ruby's vision. The person reached out for her and lifted her up. Another figure appeared at the first figure's side, right as Ruby's vision blanked for the third time that night.

* * *

**Months Later...**

_"Legends state that long ago..."_

**Click.**

_"According to police reports along the western coasts of Mistral..."_

**Click.**

_"Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy, is here to make a public statement concerning recent events..."_

**Click.**

_"Another assassination attempt has been made on Vacuoan Prime Minister..."_

**Click.**

A loud groan came from a nearby room, startling the young woman on the couch. "For the love of goodness, Ruby, pick a channel already."

Ruby sheepishly rubbed the back of her head and looked to the suit-clad, young man who stood in the doorway to the hall. Mercury's hairstyle remained the same but a hint of stubble began appearing on his face. Plopping beside her, the silver-haired teen leaned back in his seat and wrapped an arm around the other teen's shoulders. Ruby playfully shoved him and turned off the television, brushing a lock of her hair out of her face. She carefully leaned into him, mindful of the off-chance of her sister barging in once again. Without as much concern, the silver-haired teen rested his cheek on the top of her head. The two sat in silence for a few minutes. _I may not be able to become a full-fledged huntress like I wanted to, but at least the two most important people in my life are alive and well._ Ruby placed her ear against Mercury's chest. **Ba-dum, pause. Ba-dum, pause. Ba-dum, pause.**

Sitting up, Ruby rested her head against his shoulder. "Any news from your old contacts?"

"I've got someone looking into Cinder's project in the High Class District. The guys in the village I told you about were a bust." Mercury sighed, drumming his fingers along the armrest. "Did you hear anything from Yang?"

"She said Junior offered her information in exchange for a job. So, Yang's currently taking care of Junior's side business before she can get anything solid."

Nodding, Mercury shut his eyes. "I can't believe we're actually doing this."

"Well, after you told Yang and me the truth, you shouldn't have expected us to do nothing. Whatever Cinder's planning, we'll figure it out and stop her. She can't be allowed to get away with her crimes," Ruby narrowed her eyes and glared at the blank TV screen, "or her _deception_."

"I'm with you, wherever you lead." The silver-haired teen whispered into her hair as he kissed the top of her head.

Sending him a wide smile, Ruby slid out from under his arm and gestured for him to follow her. "C'mon, we've got some business to take care of."

* * *

**Somewhere in Vale**

After she punched a seedy-looking man out of his store, a blonde woman strolled out the door. The woman's long, silky ponytail swished in the air behind her. She lowered her sunglasses and placed her combat boot on top of the man's shoulder. Fearful ice blue eyes stared up at her, a silent plea for mercy. Narrowing her lilac eyes, the woman applied some pressure on the man's shoulder and leaned down.

"Do we _understand_ each other?"

"Ah! Ow, ow, ow!" The seedy-looking man whimpered and held back tears as he nodded. "Y-yes, sir!"

The woman smirked and stood upright, "Great. Junior expects your payment before the end of the day. Don't keep him waiting or I'll have to stop by _again_ with some friends of mine."

Before she could mount her motorcycle, a shadow descended upon her and blocked her way. A pair of curious amber eyes clashed with lilac as the two stood in silence. The blonde began backtracking, only for the brunette to dash forward and catch her wrist. Tugging to free her wrist, the blonde refused to meet the other woman's gaze. Unfortunately for her, the brunette refused to let go and waited patiently for the blonde to meet her gaze.

"Yang, _please_ , look at me." A familiar voice drifted through the air.

"No," Yang's voice quivered as she stared at the ground. "I can't do that Blake. If I look at you, I might..."

"You might _what_ , Yang?" Blake's tone became harsh. "What could be _so_ _bad_ for you that you won't even look me in the _eye_? Weiss and I deserve answers, Yang. Why did you and Ruby leave? Why did you have to run?"

Hesitantly, Yang met her former partner's eyes. "I'm sorry for everything I've put you guys through. I swear I am; Ruby would apologize to you right now if she could. But things are...things are really complicated right now."

The suit-clad teen crossed her arms, "Simplify it for me."

"...I'm sorry." Pulling something out of her black leather coat, Yang threw something on the ground. **PSSHH!**

A plume of thick, black smoke rose from the ground and spread out into the area. Quickly taking advantage of Blake's temporary confusion, the blonde brawler hopped onto her motorcycle. She drove away from the scene, her heart heavier than before. _Sorry, Blake, but Silver Blood Security has enough people to worry about._

**Author's Note:**

> Ruby smells like vanilla and lavender because the rosy smell is...overdone. Reasonably so, but still.
> 
> I typed this up in December 2015 and posted it on FF.net and dA. It originally was meant to focus solely on Mercury and his efforts to redeem himself. Then, it became this instead.


End file.
